USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Amherst > History of the town of Amherst, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire (first known as Narraganset township number three, and subsequently as Souhegan West) > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
130
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
Chap.]
then marched to the meeting-house, where prayer was offered by Rev. Humphrey Moore, of Milford, after which they returned to Ray's hall.
Although a cold rain storni, accompanied by sleet, pre- vailed in the forenoon, a large number of people were in attendance, and the utmost good feeling and harmony prevailed.
In the afternoon the society met to hear the reports of the awarding committees, hear essays read, and choose officers for the ensuing year.
Dr. Matthias Spalding read an essay on making and managing manure (which was published in the Cabinet, 13 November, 1819), for which he received the premium offered by the society.
Hon. Charles H. Atherton was chosen president of the society for the following year.
Thomas Underwood, of Amherst, was awarded the first premium for wheat, having raised twenty-four bushels to the acre.
A pair of yearling twin steers exhibited by Timothy Danforth, attracted much attention. They were yoked together, and drew a small cart filled with rare farm pro- ducts.
Mr. Danforth received the first premium for corn, his erop averaging seventy-one bushels of shelled corn to the acre. The second premium for corn was also awarded him, as he raised forty-four and three fourths bushels per acre, on light land, at a very trifling cost.
From the twelfth day of November, 1820, to the seven- teenth day of April, 1821, there were twenty-four snow storms in which 833 inches of snow fell.
STAGES.
22 December, 1821. There were stages running through the village every day in the week.
131
CURRENT EVENTS.
VIII.]
A new line from Amherst to Groton had recently been put on, which left Amherst on Monday and Wednesday mornings, and returned on Tuesdays and Saturdays. At Groton it connected with stages from Keene.
24 and 25 September, 1822. The Hillsborough County Agricultural Society held its fourth anniversary cattle- show, plowing-match, etc., at this place. The number of people collected was very great. Pens for the cattle were erected on the plain in front of the meeting-house, and the manufactures were deposited in the upper room of the school-house. At five o'clock P. M., on the first day, the society met for the choice of officers and the transaction of other business : after this they adjourned until eight o'clock the next morning, at which time they heard and accepted the treasurer's report. At half past nine o'clock such ani- mals as the owners wished to dispose of were sold by auction. At ten o'clock a procession was formed, under the direction of General Benjamin Pierce as chief marshal, which moved to the spot selected for the plowing-match. After the close of the plowing-match the society returned to the area of the pens, where refreshments were partaken of, and at half past twelve the procession was re-formed and proceeded to the meeting-house, where prayer was offered by Rev. Nathan Lord, and an interesting address was delivered by Moses Eastman, Esq., of Salisbury.
In 1823 the road to Bedford was repaired, and a short piece of new road built which made the route more direct.
In November of that year the new road to Milford was laid out by the selectmen.
At the annual exhibition of the Hillsborough Agricul- tural Society held in Amherst on the 24th and 25th of September, 1823, Charles H. Atherton was awarded $4 for good husbandry ; Timothy Danforth, $4 for the second best field of oats : Eber Lawrence, $3 for the third best field of oats ; David Stewart, $4 for the best field of beans ; Mat- thias Spalding, $4 for the best field of English turnips ;
132
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
[Chap.
and Miss Lucy Ann Fuller, $1 for the best straw bon- net.
4 July, 1824. The day was celebrated by the citizens without distinction of party. Hon. Charles H. Atherton acted as president of the day ; Hon. William Fisk, Hon. Edmund Parker, Andrew Wallace and Robert Means, Esqs., vice-presidents ; Timothy Danforth, chief marshal, with Capt. Daniel Campbell, Capt. Daniel Hartshorn, Lieut. Luther Melendy, Ephraim Blanchard, and E. F. Wallace, as aids : Rev. Jeremiah Barnard, chaplain ; Charles G. Ath- erton, orator of the day. The Declaration of Independence was read by Hon. Edmund Parker, and Capt. John Secombe acted as toast-master.
His Excellency, Gov. Morrill, was met at the residence of Hon. William Fisk, and escorted to the plain by a cavalcade of citizens. Gen. James Miller, the hero of Lundy's Lane, Gen. Benjamin Pierce, and Gen. Joseph Low, were present, and participated in the festivities of the occasion.
The annual fair of the Hillsborough County Agricultural society was held in this town 22 and 23 September, 1824. The annual address was delivered by Dr. Matthias Spalding. A large concourse of people was present, who appeared to be deeply interested in the proceedings.
At the plowing-match the land was measured into lots of one eighth of an acre each. Nine teams competed for the prizes, and the time occupied by each varied from nine minutes and seven seconds to sixteen minutes per lot. Two teams were entered from Amherst, of which that owned by Timothy Danforth, a pair of twin oxen, six years old, driven by Walter Danforth, John Farnum, plowman, completed the lot in twelve minutes and twenty seconds, plowing seventeen furrows. The team owned by Capt. Daniel Campbell, a pair of oxen, six years old, driven by James Tuttle, Capt. Campbell, plowman, completed its task in twelve minutes and thirty seconds, having plowed sixteen furrows.
133
CURRENT EVENTS.
VIII.]
The speaker of the House of Representatives having resigned, Hon. Edmund Parker, of Amherst, was chosen speaker for the remainder of the session, 15 December, 1824.
" There are now hving in Amherst 2 persons over 90 years of age ; 17 (nine males and eight females), over 80 and under 90 years ; and 53 (twenty-seven males and twenty-six females), between 70 and 80 years."-New Hampshire Patriot, 27 December, 1824.
NEW ROAD TO NEW BOSTON AND HENNIKER.
A new road from Amherst to Henniker began to be called for early in 1824, and at a meeting held 21 June, that year, David McG. Means, William Fisk, Jolin Secombe, and Luther Melendy, were appointed a committee to confer with sneh committees as might be appointed by the towns of Henniker, Weare, and others, to ascertain whether it was practicable to straighten the road from Henniker and Weare, through New Boston and Amherst, to Nashua village, and they were directed to ascertain the most praeti- cable route for said road to pass through the town of Amherst to Nashua village.
3 September, 1825, Nathaniel Shattuck, Esq., was appointed agent to oppose the laying out of a road from Amherst through the easterly part of Mont Vernon, thence through New Boston to the south line of Weare, as peti- tioned for by William Whittle and others and John Crombie and others.
4 September, 1826, Robert Read, Edmund Parker, and John Secombe, were appointed agents for the town to oppose the granting of the petition of William Whittle and others, for a road to be laid through the easterly part of the town ; and they were directed to use their influence in favor of the petition of Robert Read and others; for a road from the south line of Weare to Amherst village. Voted also to discharge Nathaniel Shattuck, who was appointed agent to oppose the laying out of the road peti-
134
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
[Chap.
tioned for by William Whittle and others, from further service in that direction.
The town voted, at a meeting held 18 January, 1827, that the expenses and money paid out by the committee, while waiting upon the court's committee which laid out the road petitioned for by Francis Peabody and others, after deducting such sums as shall be allowed by the court on the acceptance or rejection of their report, shall be paid by the town.
Edmund Parker was appointed agent to appear in court and urge the acceptance of the committee's report on the road petitioned for by Francis Peabody and others, and he was authorized to make such preparations as he might deem expedient to secure the acceptance of the report.
At the annual meeting, 13 March, 1827, the petition of Robert Means and others, and David McG. Means and o hers, praying for a straightening of the road between Amherst common and Daniel Fletcher's, and the petition of William Melendy and others for an alteration in the termination of the road lately laid out by a court's com- mittee from the south line of Weare to Amherst, were referred to the seleetmen.
At the session of the Court of Common Pleas held in Sep- tember, 1827, the justices accepted the report of the com- mittee appointed by them on the petition of Franeis Pea- body and others, laying out a new road from Amherst to Weare. The road was built during this and the following year. It passed through the entire length of Mont Vernon, and its construction and maintenance have been a heavy burden to that town. Its completion was noticed in the Cabinet, 31 January, 1829, as follows :
" The new road, lately ordered to be laid out and built by the Court of Common Pleas between this place and Weare is now completed and traveled by teams going with loads to market at Boston and the man- ufacturing towns below us. It is generally-we understand-consid- ered as an excellent and level road, and is likely to receive the travel from the upper towns in preference to any other route."
135
GEN. LAFAYETTE'S VISIT.
VIII.]
The town voted, 9 March, 1830, to keep the turnpike and bridge in repair from the point where the new road inter- sects with it, to the end of the turnpike near Robert Read's store.
RECEPTION OF GEN. LAFAYETTE AT CONCORD.
The capital of New Hampshire was visited by Gen. Lafayette 22 June, 1825, and thousands of the citizens of the State embraced the opportunity of greeting the friend and companion of Washington. More than two hundred of his companions in arms were present. Edmund Parker, Esq., the representative from Amherst, was chief marshal of the day. Receiving the General at Pembroke, the civic escort proceeded toward Concord, and at the line of the towns was met by the military escort called out for the oc- casion, which was under the command of Gen. Bradbury Bartlett, a grandson of Col. Cilley, of revolutionary fame. The procession then marched up Main street to the North end, then wheeled and returned to the State House, where the military formed on either side of the walk from the street to the State House steps; and the marshals, commit- tee of arrangements, and guests, passed between the lines to the Representatives' hall, where the Governor, Council, Sen- ate, and House of Representatives were assembled. On en- tering the hall the presence of Gen. Lafayette was an- nounced to the convention, which rose to receive him. He was then introduced to Gov. Morrill, who addressed him briefly in an appropriate speech, to which he replied. He was afterward introduced to the members of the Council and the President of the Senate by the Governor. The President of the Senate introduced him to each of the Sen- ators and to the Speaker of the House, who introduced him to each of the Representatives. He then descended to the area below the hall and met the Revolutionary soldiers there assembled. Gen. Benjamin Pierce welcomed him in their behalf. He then partook of a dinner in the State
136
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
[Chap.
House park, with about eight hundred of the citizens, the chief marshal of the day being seated at the left of the nation's guest, at the table.
Hon. Edmund Parker, who had represented the town in the General Court several years, and was again clected in March, 1826, resigned a short time previous to the session of the legislature, and Robert Read, Esq., was elected to fill the vacancy at a special town-meeting called for the pur- pose. Mr. Parker's letter of resignation was as follows : To the town of Amherst :-
The undersigned respectfully represents that on account of sickness the situation of his family is such as renders it very inconvenient for him to be absent. On the most favorable sup- position he apprehends the case will be but little varied during the month of June, and that he can not serve the town in the General Court without neglecting more imperious obligations. Under these circumstances he thinks it a duty he owes to the town, as well as his family, to ask to be excused from serving the town as their Repre- sentative in the General Court the ensuing year, or in case the office can be considered as now existing, to ask permission to resign it. He does it at this time that there may be opportunity to elect another before the sitting of the court. He begs the town to accept his thanks for the honor they have conferred on him, and he assures them that nothing but necessity would have induced him to decline serving them.
EDMUND PARKER.
AMHERST, May 20, 1826.
4 July, 1826. The day was celebrated by the Lafayette Riflemen, who were presented with a beautiful standard by Miss Lucretia Claggett, in behalf of the ladies of the town, after which they dined at Ray's hotel, in company with a number of the citizens.
The viewing committee of the Hillsborough County Agricultural Society commenced their tour of duty, in examining crops, etc., 24 July, 1826. They reported informally, 29 July, that they had a pleasant trip, being every where met with cordiality, welcome, and- grass- hoppers. That there would be about an average crop of
137
CURRENT EVENTS.
VIII.]
Indian corn, wheat, and potatoes ; rye, a little shortened ; spring rye, damaged, and oats very much damaged by the grasshoppers ; hay, not over half a crop ; no turnips ; and four fifths of the gardens naked as the middle of the road.
1826 was long remembered as the " grasshopper year." Those insects were so plenty that nearly every green thing was caten. In some places they are said to have been caught in nets and fed to the hogs. A great rain storm occurred during the last week in August, which destroyed them. More water is said to have fallen in this storm than had fallen in the same length of time for many years. The roads were badly washed, and many of the bridges were swept away. The Merrimack and Souhegan rivers were as high as they are in the greatest spring freshets.
It was during this storm that the slide on the White Mountains took place, by which the Willey family was destroyed.
Fifty-three deaths occurred in Amherst in the year 1826, a greater number than is recorded in any other year since its settlement.
Early in July the whooping-cough made its appearance. In the same month the measles followed, and soon after the dysentery. These diseases were all more difficult to manage than usual, and often terminated in death. The sickness was more severely felt in the Centre school district than any other. In this district alone there were 47 cases of whooping-cough, 122 of measles, and 109 of dysentery. Many adults suffered severely, and some died. Deaths, by the cough, 1 ; dysentery, 13 : measles, 3 ; and one linger- ing case, which resulted in death, seemed to be the result of all three of the diseases. Of these 16 were children, and 2 adults ; males 13, females 5. The sickness continued until past the middle of December.
Neither wine nor ardent spirits were used at the dinner of the Southern District Medical Society at Nutt's tavern, 9 January, 1827 ; but the table was abundantly supplied
138
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
[Chap.
with most excellent cider. Three or four decanters of brandy, placed on the table without orders, remained untouched by the doctors.
At the fair of the Hillsborough County Agricultural Society, held in this town 24 and 25 September, 1828, pre- miums were awarded to George Raymond and Thomas Cloutman, of Mount Vernon, Humphrey Moore, of Milford, Matthias Spalding, of Amherst, and Thomas Eaton, of Francestown, for performing the labor on their farms that year without the aid of distilled liquors.
The use of distilled liquors was at that time nearly uni- versal among all classes of the people. The farmer carried them to his field, the mechanic to his workshop, and the professional man to his office ; all used them freely, and the legitimate consequences-drunkenness, idleness, pov- erty, disease, and crime-followed.
About this time a society was formed in the town the members of which were pledged to abstain from the use of intoxicating spirits. Associations of a similar kind were formed in many other towns. In these movements many of the most distinguished physicians, and other educated men in the State, took an active part, and suffered no small amount of abuse in consequence of their exertions.
A cow, six years old, exhibited by Capt. Elijah Putnam, of this town, at the fair in Milford, September, 1827, aver- aged seventeen quarts of milk per day, for fourteen days, from which nineteen and one fourth pounds of butter were made.
At this fair Dr. Thomas Eaton, of Francestown, stated that he had ascertained, by careful experiment, that one seventh more corn could be raised from the same number of stalks planted in drills than when planted in the usual way in hills.
A code of by-laws for the prevention of fires within 200 yards of the court house, to be in force after 1 January, 1828, was adopted by the fire-wards 22 November, 1827.
139
PURCHASE OF THE PAUPER FARM.
VIII.]
1 September, 1829. After a day of intense heat the wind suddenly changed in the night, and the weather became uncomfortably cold, and continued so for more than a week. The earth had become very dry from a long drought, and the air was filled with smoke and dust from numerous fires the wind had rekindled, which would have done serious damage but for the great exertions of the citizens in quelling them.
Dr. Daniel Adams, of Mont Vernon, delivered an address before the Amherst temperance society on the evening of 6 May, 1830. Many citizens from all parts of the county, who were in town attending the session of the court were present, and listened with pleasure to the Doctor's valu- able and convincing discourse.
6 August, 1830. A great freshet occurred, the like of which has seldom been seen by the oldest inhabitants. The streams, swollen to an unwonted height, burst over their barriers, and in some cases formed new channels, presenting a scene of ruin and desolation along their courses.
The Hillsborough County Agricultural Society held their eleventh exhibition in Amherst, October 6 and 7, 1830. Although the weather was fine and the attendance large, the exhibition was small. On the morning of the 7th the annual address was delivered in the meeting-house by Dr. S. 1. Bard, of Francestown. It was an interesting and valuable production.
PURCHASE OF THE PAUPER FARM.
The support of the town paupers was provided for by the town, annually, at a meeting held near the close of the month of March, when their maintenance during the coming year was let out to the lowest bidder.
This course, the best at first, perhaps, that could be adopted, was open to serious objections, and, at the annual town meeting, March, 1817, William Fisk, Edmund Parker,
140
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
[Chap.
John Secombe, Daniel Campbell, jr., Elijah Putnam, Robert Means, Israel Fuller, Frederick French, William Read, and Jedediah K. Smith, were appointed a committee to take into consideration the propriety of providing a house for the accommodation of the poor of the town, so that they may be more prudently and comfortably supported, and in a way less repugnant to the feelings of humanity than at present.
At the adjourned meeting held 26 March, 1817, the com- mittee reported that the time had been too short to make the necessary inquiries in regard to the matter put into their hands, and that it would be advisable to appoint a committee of two or three persons whose duty it should be to procure information from overseers of the poor in towns where farms had been purchased on which to support the poor and lay the result of their inquiries before the town at some future meeting.
While" they considered it unadvisable for the town to purchase a farm at that time, they were persuaded that the time would arrive when it would be advisable so to do.
The town voted to accept the report of the committee, but took no further action. The subject of the purchase of a pauper farm was again brought up and discussed at the annual town meetings until 1826, when another committee was appointed to take the subject into consideration ; but no record exists to show that they were called upon to make a report of their doings.
Another committee was appointed in March, 1828, to take the subject into consideration, but no further action was taken.
9 March, 1830, the town voted not to purchase a farm for the support of the poor.
11 December, 1830, the town voted to purchase a farm, on which to support the poor. John Mack, David Stewart, Bartholomew Dodge, Thomas Wilkins, and Daniel Camp- bell, jr., were appointed a committee to carry the vote into effect, and they were authorized to sell the real estate then
141
PURCHASE OF THE PAUPER FARM.
VIII.]
owned by the town, and to borrow such a sum of money, in addition to the amount received from such sale, as would enable them to pay for the farm, with the necessary stock and tools required for it, and provisions for the support of the paupers the first year, the whole amount not to exceed four thousand dollars.
The committee attended at once upon the business entrusted to them, and, after the necessary inquiries and examination of farms offered, decided to purchase the farm lying on the south side of Souhegan river, owned by Mr. John Mack, and at the annual meeting in March, 1831, made report of their action in which they stated that,
" Finding they could not purchase the whole farm with- out exceeding the limits assigned them, they had reserved in their own hands about sixty acres, and taken a deed of the remainder for the town for the sum of $3,150. The land they had secured could be had for $700, if the town desired to purchase it, which the committee were decidedly of opinion it would be for the interest of the town to do, which would make the cost of the whole $3,850, which, with the stock, tools, and provisions necessary, would require an outlay of from forty-two to forty-three hundred dollars, thirty-five hundred of which they had already hired.
They also reported that they had not purchased any stock, farming tools, or provisions, and but a small amount of furniture, not deeming it best to do so until they were wanted, and that they had hired Mr. John W. Underwood, of Dunstable, to superintend and carry on the farm one year at a salary of $200.
Also that they had been offered three dollars and fifty cents per acre for the land owned by the town, and sub- mitted the matter to the town, whether they would accept the offer or not.
After hearing the report, the town voted to purchase the whole of the Mack farm, as recommended, and to dispose of the town's land on the best terms offered.
142
HISTORY OF AMHERST.
[Chap.
They also voted that the committee draft by-laws and rules and regulations for the government of the poor-house, and report the same at the adjournment of this meet- ing.
Also, voted that the town's farm for the poor be taxed with school and highway taxes.
A code of by-laws prepared by the committee was adopted by the town at an adjourned meeting.
The amount paid Mr. Jacob Kimball for the support of the town paupers the year preceding the purchase of the farm was $525.
23 December, 1833. The town voted to build a barn on the pauper farm, and the selectmen were constituted a com- mittee to superintend the work. The barn, 100 x 40 feet, was built the following season, at a cost, as reported, of $967.20, exclusive of lumber furnished from the farm. It was burned by an insane pauper in the month of March, 1847, with all its contents, just after the town had paid the debt incurred by the purchase of the farm.
19 April, 1847. The town voted to build a barn on the pauper farm, 60 x 40 feet, and authorized the selectmen to hire a sum of money to defray the expense of the same, provided it does not exceed six hundred dollars. Daniel Hartshorn, Israel Fuller, jr., and Thomas Wilkins, were appointed a committee to superintend its erection.
2 May, 1847. Voted to enlarge the size of the barn, and build it twenty feet longer, making the whole length eighty feet, and authorized the committee to build a shed, such as they might think proper.
The cost of the barn and shed, including the services of the committee, was $918.27.
In 1859 the house on the farm was repaired at an expense, as reported, of $971.43.
The same year the wood and timber sold from the farm amounted to $1,497.50.
143
CURRENT EVENTS.
VIII.]
In March, 1840, the town authorized the selectmien to sell and convey a portion of the pauper farm, not exceeding two acres, to Capt. Jacob Danforth.
The farm, originally a part of Monson, on which Ben- jamin Kendrick settled in 1749, is still owned by the town, and is worth probably three times the amount paid for it fifty years ago. While such an institution was necessary it fully answered the purpose for which it was bought ; but the recent change in the pauper laws of the State has almost wholly obviated the necessity of town establish- ments for the support of paupers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.